UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) Free Mock Test
UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) (Combined Defence Services) is part of India's Government Exams category, covering 3 topics. Kamiyab provides a free UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) Full Mock test — questions matched to the official exam pattern with real timing, instant scoring, and per-question explanations. Eligibility: Graduate. Aligned to the current 2026 official syllabus.
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Topics covered
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About UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services Examination)
The Combined Defence Services Examination (CDS) is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission twice every year to recruit graduates as officers into four officer-training establishments of the Indian Armed Forces — the Indian Military Academy (IMA, Dehradun) for the Army, the Indian Naval Academy (INA, Ezhimala in Kerala) for the Navy, the Air Force Academy (AFA, Hyderabad / Dundigal) for the Air Force, and the Officers Training Academy (OTA, Chennai) for the Short Service Commission across the Army. The exam was instituted in its modern form in the mid-1950s and remains, alongside NDA & NA, the principal graduate-entry route into the commissioned officer cadre of the Indian Armed Forces.
Cadets passing out of IMA are commissioned as Lieutenants in the Permanent Commission of the Indian Army, INA cadets as Sub-Lieutenants in the Executive branch of the Indian Navy, AFA cadets as Flying Officers in the Flying branch of the Indian Air Force, and OTA cadets as Lieutenants on Short Service Commission terms (initial engagement of 10 years, extendable up to 14 years, with the option to convert to Permanent Commission subject to vacancies and merit). The career trajectory thereafter follows the standard officer hierarchy of the respective service — Lt → Capt → Maj → Lt Col → Col → Brig → Maj Gen → Lt Gen → Gen — with parallel ranks in the Navy and Air Force, alongside opportunities for staff college, foreign assignments, technical specialisations, command appointments and tri-service postings.
Selection is a two-stage process: a written examination conducted by UPSC, followed by the Services Selection Board (SSB) Interview — a five-day personality assessment carried out by the respective service. Candidates apply for one or more of the four academies in their preference order and are screened separately for each based on eligibility, written marks, SSB recommendation, medical fitness and final merit. The written paper carries 300 marks for IMA/INA/AFA candidates (three papers — English, GK, Elementary Mathematics) and 200 marks for OTA candidates (English + GK only). The SSB carries 300 marks across all academies, making it equally weighted with the entire written exam — a fact that catches many candidates off guard.
Who the exam suits: unmarried graduates within the age band who want a commissioned officer's career in the Army, Navy or Air Force, and women graduates seeking a Short Service Commission through OTA. The written papers (English, General Knowledge and, for IMA/INA/AFA, Elementary Mathematics) are set at a level a well-prepared graduate can score highly on; what separates the final list is the five-day SSB, which assesses personality, group behaviour and leadership through psychological tests, group tasks and an interview, followed by a medical board. Candidates who begin the SSB preparation and the physical routine in parallel with the written syllabus are the ones who convert a written qualification into a joining letter.
How to use this page: the eligibility section states the academy-wise age, education, marital-status and physical conditions, with a reading guide for the notification's date windows; the pattern section gives the written papers and the SSB stage with marks and timings; the syllabus lists the topics per paper; the preparation section sets out a plan that runs the written and SSB tracks together; and the dates section tracks both annual cycles. Since the exam is held twice a year, plan attempts in pairs — use the first for a full rehearsal including the SSB call, and the second for the improved result.
Conducted by: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Department of Personnel & Training, Government of India
Eligibility
- IMA — Indian Military Academy, Dehradun (Army, Permanent Commission)Age: Approximately 19-24 years on the first day of the month in which the relevant course commences. The exact age window is fixed by the notification for each cycle — read the notification's date range carefully before applying.
- INA — Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala (Navy, Executive Branch)Age: Approximately 19-24 years on the first day of the month in which the relevant course commences. Exact band per the notification.
- AFA — Air Force Academy, Hyderabad (Air Force, Flying Branch)Age: Approximately 20-24 years on the first day of the month in which the relevant course commences. Upper age relaxation up to 26 years applies to candidates with a valid and current Commercial Pilot Licence issued by DGCA (subject to the notification).
- OTA — Officers Training Academy, Chennai (Army, Short Service Commission)Age: Approximately 19-25 years on the first day of the month in which the relevant course commences. Slightly wider band than IMA/INA/AFA.
- Common conditions across all four academies — how to read the notification before you applyAge: Each notification states the age window as a pair of birth dates ('born not earlier than … and not later than …') for the course starting in a named month, and that window differs for IMA, INA, AFA and OTA within the same exam. Check the pair of dates for every academy you opt for, because a candidate can be within the window for OTA yet outside it for IMA in the same cycle. UPSC accepts only the date of birth entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate; no other document, affidavit or later correction is entertained, and there is no category-based age relaxation in CDS.
Exam Pattern
Stage-by-stage breakdown of the recruitment process.
Paper I — English
- Questions
- 120
- Marks
- 100
- Duration
- 2 hours (120 minutes)
Paper II — General Knowledge
- Questions
- 120
- Marks
- 100
- Duration
- 2 hours (120 minutes)
Paper III — Elementary Mathematics
- Questions
- 100
- Marks
- 100
- Duration
- 2 hours (120 minutes)
SSB Interview (Services Selection Board) — Stage II
- Questions
- Not applicable — personality and officer-potential assessment
- Marks
- 300 (equally weighted with the entire written paper)
- Duration
- 5 days residential
Syllabus
3 sections, 49 topics in total.
- English (Paper I) — 100 marks, 120 questions14 topics
- General Knowledge (Paper II) — 100 marks, 120 questions, defence-heavy15 topics
- Elementary Mathematics (Paper III) — 100 marks, 100 questions, IMA/INA/AFA only20 topics
Preparation Strategy
Subject-wise strategy, a study plan and the books aspirants rely on for UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services Examination).
Read the preparation guideRecent Changes to Know
- Post the 2021 Supreme Court ruling on Permanent Commission for women officers, OTA female intake has expanded over recent cycles, with both Permanent Commission and SSC pathways available — CDS-OTA remains the principal CDS entry for female candidates while IMA/INA/AFA continue to admit only unmarried males.
- Female intake at NDA (the other graduate-precursor defence exam) has become mainstream from 2022 onwards following the same SC ruling — this is the NDA & NA exam, separate from CDS, but it has shifted the overall officer-pipeline demographics that CDS aspirants compete in.
- The Tour of Duty (Agnipath) scheme introduced in 2022 applies to Personnel Below Officer Rank (Agniveers), NOT to CDS officer entries — CDS remains the Permanent Commission (IMA/INA/AFA) and Short Service Commission (OTA) officer route and is unaffected by the Agnipath terms of engagement.
- For AFA Flying branch candidates, the Computer Pilot Selection System (CPSS) is the current battery used to screen for pilot aptitude, replacing the older PABT-only pipeline — CPSS is administered once in a candidate's lifetime, and a failure permanently bars subsequent attempts at flying entries across all defence exams.
- INA at Ezhimala has expanded its training infrastructure and intake capacity over recent cycles, supporting larger Navy officer batches in line with the IN's blue-water-fleet expansion (Vikrant induction, second indigenous aircraft carrier programme, expanded submarine arm).
Important Dates
- Notification
- CDS I notification is published in November and the exam is held in April of the following calendar year. CDS II notification is published in May and the exam is held in September of the same calendar year. Two cycles every year, with notifications and exams alternating roughly six months apart.
- Exam
- CDS I written exam: April · CDS I SSB: July-September · CDS I final merit and commissioning: roughly June of the year AFTER the written. CDS II written exam: September · CDS II SSB: January-March · CDS II final merit and commissioning: roughly January of the year AFTER the SSB. Total cycle length is approximately 14-18 months from notification to commissioning.
- Results
- Written results: 2-4 months after the exam. SSB recommendations are issued on Day 5 of the Board itself. Medical Board: 2-4 weeks after SSB recommendation. Final merit list (combining written + SSB): published per academy after medical clearance and is the basis for joining instructions.
UPSC may revise the notification calendar, age bands, eligibility text or paper structure cycle-to-cycle. Always consult the latest CDS I or CDS II notification PDF on upsc.gov.in and the application portal on upsconline.gov.in before applying — the notification overrides every secondary source, including this page.
UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) preparation guides
- Master Static GK: Proven Ways to Remember General AwarenessDiscover a step‑by‑step system to lock in static general knowledge for SSC CGL and RRB NTPC exams, using practical tricks, smart organization, and daily habits that turn facts into long‑term memory.
- Master Quantitative Aptitude: Topic‑Wise Priority Blueprint for SSC CGL & IBPS POA step‑by‑step, topic‑wise priority guide that shows you exactly which Quantitative Aptitude concepts to master first, how much time to allocate, and proven tactics to solve each type of problem efficiently.
- Master Exam-Day Calm: Turn Anxiety into Peak PerformanceLearn proven, step‑by‑step techniques to silence exam‑day nerves, boost focus, and unleash your true potential on any competitive test.
- Master Bank PO Exams While Working Full‑Time: A Practical RoadmapLearn how to juggle a day job and Bank PO preparation with realistic scheduling, free resources, and proven study techniques—stay focused, confident, and burnout‑free.
UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) mock test — frequently asked questions
What is the UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) eligibility?
Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognised university, or an equivalent qualification. Final-year students may apply provisionally and must produce proof of graduation by the SSB stage in accordance with the notification. Age: Approximately 19-24 years on the first day of the month in which the relevant course commences. The exact age window is fixed by the notification for each cycle — read the notification's date range carefully before applying. Nationality: Unmarried male. Indian citizen, or subject of Nepal/Bhutan, or Tibetan refugee who came before 1 Jan 1962 with intent to settle permanently, or person of Indian origin migrated from specified countries (candidates from these latter categories require a certificate of eligibility from the Government of India)..
What is the UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) exam pattern?
Paper I — English covers Grammar (spotting errors, sentence improvement, jumbled sentences/paragraphs), Vocabulary (synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitution, idioms & phrases), Reading Comprehension (one or two passages), Cloze / Fill in the blanks (single + double blanks), Active-Passive and Direct-Indirect transformations.. 120 questions for 100 marks, with negative marking of 1/3 mark deducted per wrong answer.
Is the UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) mock test on Kamiyab really free?
Yes, completely free. No payment and no hidden charges — every UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) full mock on Kamiyab is free to use.
Do I need to create an account to attempt the UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) mock test?
Yes — you sign in (free) with your mobile number or Google before starting a UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) mock. It takes a few seconds and lets us save your scores and weak-topic insights.
How many questions are there in the UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) mock test?
A Full Mock is built to match the real UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) exam pattern and timing — a complete, full-length paper. You can also practise a single topic on its own for a shorter, focused session.
Which subjects and topics are covered for UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services)?
3 topics are covered for UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services), including English, General Knowledge, Elementary Mathematics and more. Each topic can be practised on its own or combined into a full-length mock.
Are the UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) questions reliable and up to date with the latest syllabus?
Every question is hand-curated and kept aligned with the current official UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) syllabus, each with a short explanation. When the exam body revises the syllabus, the question bank is updated so you are not practising removed or out-of-syllabus topics.
Do I get the correct answers and explanations for UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services)?
Yes. After you submit the test, every question shows the correct option along with a short explanation, so you can review and fix weak areas immediately.
Will the UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) mock test work on a low-end phone or slow connection?
Yes. Kamiyab runs in any modern mobile browser with no app install. The timer, scoring and explanations all work on basic Android phones and on slow networks.
How should I use Kamiyab to prepare for UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services)?
Practise a single topic daily for focused revision, then take a full-length mock to simulate the real UPSC CDS (Combined Defence Services) timer and pressure. Read the explanations after every test and re-practise the topics where you score low.